Mariners fans need to keep an eye on Rainiers' pitcher Francisco Cruceta, especially his walk totals. If Cruceta can keep those dreaded free passes down, he can be a special pitcher.

This year, Cruceta leads the PCL in strikeouts with 68. He gets it done with a solid fastball and a biting slider. The trouble is he sometimes doesn't know where those pitches are going.

In 50 2/3 innings, Cruceta has walked 26. That's too many. His control is also why he has only so-so numbers this year (3-3, 3.50 ERA). One of his outings was a disastrous nine-run in one inning performance.

The Mariners picked Cruceta up off the scrap heap last August. Cruceta was waived by the Cleveland Indians after being more bad than good at Triple-A Buffalo (6-4 record but a 5.19 ERA in 102 1/3 innings). He pitched about the same at Tacoma (1-1, 5.00 ERA in just 9 innings) but his live arm intrigued M's officials. He doesn't turn 25 until July 4 so there's still time for him to get it figured out.

Here's a question I've heard a lot lately. This was posted by iqbal70 this morning:

Mr. Beene,
Not a good year for Eddie, but he isn't unique in that. Why does it seem like a trend that players come to Seattle and then just don't perform. Sexson was great last year, but this year is a disaster. Beltre just hasn't adapted to the AL and Everett is all right, but not putting up the numbers you'd expect for a DH. I even checked on Spiezio and Aurillia and they are doing significantly better than when they were M's. Is it Seattle that causes this?

That is the question, isn't it?

The Mariners have had either horrible luck or used bad judgement in signing free agents lately. Aurilla and Spiezio aren't producing at their pre-Seattle levels but they're at least contributing to winning teams. As Mariners, they were punchless.

If you want to go back even further in Mariners history, there's Al Martin (remember him? Decent player with Pirates, bench-fodder for the M's). Even Randy Winn, who had solid numbers with the M's, didn't do what he did in San Francisco after he was traded last year (.359, 14 homers, in 231 at-bats).

Sexson's troubles can be explained as a classic slump. Since he's become a regular and not counting 2004 when he was hurt and played in just 23 games, Sexson has hit no lower than .255 with at least 29 home runs. But the way he's struggling, it's hard to imagine him getting to those levels this year unless he becomes en fuego this summer.

Beltre is a whole different matter. Outside the breakout year he had in his last season as a Dodger (.335, 48 HR, 121 RBI), he had never hit more than 23 homers in a season, hit .300 or driven in 100. The guy had great contract year and now the Mariners are paying for it. Don't ever expect those numbers again. I would say if Beltre hit 25 homers, drove in 90 with a .280 average Mariners' fans should be happy.

Is it Seattle? Hard to say. Safeco Field is a pitcher's park, but that didn't seem to bother Sexson last year when he hit 21 of his 39 homers at home. Other players hit there, so I can't imagine the ballpark is the sole reason.